Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-01

the legitimate ambition of party leader.
And lastly, in the executive department,
the president stands for the principles and
policy of the party majority in its largest
expression. The members of his Cahine'
are made by the constit luton his advisors
They are to aid hun in carrying out the
policy approved in his election. 1t Is es-
sential therefore, that they should share
his political opinions.
Analogous reasons may apply, with
greatly diminished force. to Il few other
high executive officials VINO may most titly
be of the presidents party
But all executive officers below them
are without discretion aS to the execution
of such laws or policy. They have no
right TO advise and, under the cnnstitu
ton and the laws, are bound to obey the
instructions of their superior officers
Their legal funtlons ard official work
including, of course, among them all
postmasters and col ectOrs-haye no le-
ultimate relations with party politics
Their duties should be performed day by
day and month after month"; in the same
business like, non partisan manner who
ever is president aud whatever party is in
power. Under the constitution, not one
of these inferior officers is elected or has a
quadrennial or any other term of office,
the four years term for some of them be
ing disastrous triumph-in 1920 as to
collectors, and in 1886 as to certain post
lldSl eIs-Ol budt same partisan SDlrlt
which dominated Jackson's administers
ton.
In view of these facts, we may, think,
declare that the whole partisan, spols-
system th1Ory-that party is JOINT
stock company for getting office and
keeping in power that 1t may gain power
by stimulating the zeal of its followers
with the promise of a hundred thousand
places as the spoils o. victory that it may
keep itself in power by using the public
olnceS as political outpOstS of war, and by
forcing the public servants to fight its
battle, that it may assess their salaries to
pay its expenses. to bride voters and to
buy the press that we need some sort of
party zeal and activity beyond what is the
natural fruit of patriotism, spontaneous
devotion to principle and sense OF duty
"a power so mighty i'll the domain of
charity, benevolence and religion-that
theory, in all its parts, we may hold to be
not only utterly repugnant to the very
nature ana object of true party, aud to
the principles of the constitution, but to
be in itself libel upon American citizen
ship ana republican institutions.
In any sensible view of public affairs,
the politics of a consul in Asia Minor, a
pension agent in Oshkosh, or collector or
postmaster in Vermont, Oregon or any
other State, are of no more importance
than his opinions about astronomy, evo-
luton or the equator. Their functions
have no more legitimate relations to party
politics than have those Of Il minister, a
general or college president. Every one
of them to likely to be Il bad public ser
want in the very degree that he is an &C
tive partisan He prostitutes his functions.
and invades the just freedom of local
politics. If he uses his authority or official
Influence in any way for mere party pur-
poses
In the whole range of our public affairs,
there Is nothing so deceptive, so absurd,
so barren of all possible good, as our con.
t-sts about the election of aldermen aud
the appointment of ostmasters, not on
basis of their fitness for their duties hut
in reference to their views about pension
VetOes. sugar DOuntieS, the currency
questions, the tobacco tax or some other
irrelevant party issue-if, indeed, their
electioneering capacity is not absolutely
decisive, forcing us often to say with the
pOtt
: 1t seems like stories from the land of spirits,
II any man obtain that which he merits
Or any merit that which he attains."
1t is quite beyond any words can COM
mand to describe the vicious political ma
chinery, the usees partisan activity, thu,
demorallzing Intrigue, the brlber, and
corruption, which would be suppressed ~
such change i'll our party theories ana
administrative met hodS rs would select
and govern the more than hundred
thousand subordinate federal officers, on
the basis of character and capacity, rather
than on that OF party patronage and
spoils. Parties would still be left undls-
turbed in their sphere, with all their
salutary issues of large principles and
policies, with the whole field o legisla
ton open 10 them
The same rising spirit which demands
such reforms will insist that all party con
ventons for making nominations shall he
. II hIar rod n Strin !, La, 10
interest of justice and good faith, aud that
the state, and not the parties, shall sup
ply and distribute all ballots, and provide
every convenience needed by the humber
citizens to enable them TO freely vote
without expense TO themselves and with
out dictation on the part of party leaders
or electloneering agents-a kind of legis-
laton already begun in several States.
the little partisan fighters and the great
corrupt captains of elections, after
such changes, will find the business Of
politicts far less attractive, while men of
independent judgement and inspiring
patriotism will see better opportunities of
serving their country, and feel greater
responsibility for its political affairs.
We have colleges, libraries and even
which formerly counted on lot
teries as our parties now count OH patron
age and assessments, and the generation
has not all left us which thought that
hihu VI cSStuIldl III dlu vi
charity and religion as our politicians now
think patronage is for party. The time,
we may believe, is not very remote when
this old partisan theory will be as general
ly reprobated as slavery itself We have
no use for any party which needs its sup
port, aud no party needing it has a right
to exist single day. The organized OPP
position to that theory-the most recent
of the great issues OF our politics-has
already decided one presidential election
and may decide another or ruin party.
Despite the hostility of the managers of
both parties, more than fifteen thousand
persons in the last three years have enter
ed the public service on simple tests
OF merit, irrespective of political opinions.
The reasoning and sentiment on which
this great reform rests are steadily gaming
strength. Its salutary results are becom-
ing more and more an efficient power for
its extension.
More than all others, the educated class
should have faith in the power of sound
teaching and the higher sentiments to
purify and elevate our political life. The
time has come when the national safety
and honor call upon our greatest teachers
and writers to give their best thought TO
our political affairs.
tn..r L. .l,.. IL